Recently, there has been a noticeable change in the rate of heart attacks. A heart attack is a serious and traumatic medical incident as it causes a cut in the oxygen flow to the heart and brain tissues. This is indeed very harmful as the tissues die from lack of oxygen. If you or any of your close ones recently had a heart attack and you are wondering what to eat after a heart attack, here is a list of certain nutrients that you should totally include in your diet.
1. What Should You Eat After a Heart Attack?
Healthy eating is really important for your heart health. Having heart-healthy foods helps in certain ways such as lowering your high blood pressure, which will cause reduced risk of high cholesterol. For a heart-healthy diet, you should lower the intake of unhealthy fats such as packaged foods and ultra-processed foods.
For your cardiovascular health to be normal, you should also limit the intake of salt and eat enough nutrients such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains such as brown rice, and fat-free dairy products. Make sure to also limit your alcohol consumption as too much alcohol causes increased risk factors of heart attacks.
1.1. You Can Consume Healthy Fats
You will have to make sure that you are following a heart-healthy eating plan. After a heart attack, you will have to work hard for a healthy lifestyle. You should not consume saturated fat. Instead of saturated fats, you can go for healthy fats such as oily fish which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
You can consume fish like salmon, tuna, lake trout, and mackerel. You can also consume ghee and butter in a limited quantity for a heart-healthy diet.
1.2. Whole Grains
For a post-heart attack healthy diet, you can start consuming whole grains to lower the risk of heart disease. This is because they serve as a great alternative to certain foods and refined grains like white bread, rice, and pasta. You can have a diet rich in fiber such as brown rice, corn, barley, whole wheat, and quinoa.
1.3. Nuts and Seeds Post-Heart Attack
Nuts with seeds definitely count for heart-healthy snacks. They are a rich source of proteins, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and essential fats. They are good for your heart health and you should soak them overnight before having them.
When you wake up in the morning, fill half of your stomach with almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, and pistachios. You can even spread some maple syrup over them to make your meal more delicious.
1.4. Good Oil for Heart Health
Dietary approaches post-heart attack should surely include consuming healthy oils to lower high blood pressure and improve heart health. Also, make sure to not have processed meals, and canned foods as they have unhealthy oil and partially hydrogenated fats.
Your eating habits should include consuming extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, peanuts, sesame, groundnut, and even sunflower oil. You can consume 2-3 teaspoons of olive oil or any other healthy oil for good heart health and a decreased risk of heart disease.
1.5. Vegetables and Fruits
Best foods to include in your eating plan post-heart attack are vegetables and fruits. You can eat plenty of them to reduce cholesterol and maintain your blood pressure levels. They not only boost your energy levels but are also low in calories.
You can include juicy fruits in your healthy diet such as apples, berries, oranges, limes, melons, and pears. In vegetables, you can have carrots and broccoli as they provide enough vitamins and minerals. Make sure to cover half your plate with these fresh foods and eat them.
1.6. Proteins from Lean Meats
Heart healthy foods post-heart attack include lean meats as well as skinless chicken. You can avoid processed meats and animal fats such as red meat. So, you can skip processed meat and instead have fish, eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, beans, tofu, lentils, and chickpeas.
1.7. Mediterranean Diet Post Heart Attack
The Mediterranean diet has several cardiovascular benefits and including this in your lifestyle will help with the risk of high blood pressure and heart diseases. The diet mainly focuses on consuming healthy fats, fish, grains, beans, and legumes.
These should be taken with enough amount of fruits and veggies with dairy and meat consumed in moderation. This diet mainly focuses on using plant-based foods and oils in place of butter.
1.8. Plant-Based Diet
if you are wondering what this diet is, it is a kind of diet which includes consumption of little to no meat at all. If you consume less amount of meat, it automatically means consumption of less saturated fat and cholesterol.
In this diet, you will have to focus mainly on fruits and vegetables alongside grains and legumes. It will promote heart health and lower the risk of cancer, heart stroke, and diabetes.
2. Foods to Avoid After Heart Attacks
By now, you know the food-eating habits that you can incorporate in your lifestyle after a heart attack. You can avoid foods that contain excess sugar and salt. Presenting you the food list that you should avoid after a heart attack:-
- Canned food
- Fried foods
- Fast food such as burgers, pizzas, hot dogs
- Biscuits, candies, cookies and cakes
- Ice creams
- Deli meats
- Mayo, ketchup
- Alcohol
- Red meat
Final Note
Now that, you have got to know the eating dos and don’ts after a heart attack, you will have to take a step forward and include the diet in your lifestyle for long-term good health. You can incorporate certain changes in your daily lifestyle such as doing physical exercises. You can also make your eating pattern a bit more healthier.
Including physical activities in your lifestyle changes will have a good effect on your overall health. You can also consult with a healthcare professional or a dietitian for informed food choices and you can embark on the journey of a healthier and happier heart.
FAQs
1. What are the best fruits to have a post-heart heart attack?
Including a high-fiber diet in your lifestyle lowers the risk of heart attack. Berries are a good source of vitamins as well as fiber. So, you can have strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries.
2. How to strengthen my heart after a heart attack?
You should incorporate certain physical activities in your lifestyle to strengthen your heart. You can start off by walking for around 5-10 minutes a day. You can slowly build it up and add some more light exercises to your routine.
3. Is taking supplements fine after a heart attack?
Supplements are usually prescribed when your diet does not include enough nutrients. If you consume a properly balanced diet, then you won’t have to go for any supplements. If, in case, you are taking a vegan diet and you do not get enough vitamin B12 or you do not get enough vitamin D as vitamin D is not found in any food diet, then you can be prescribed supplements.
Ruchika is an experienced health and fitness niche writer. She has written several content related to fitness across the web and is also researching on lifestyle related content to help people deal with general issues.
